We Need To Stop Sneaking Around Like This
by Pineapple-Mango-Cat
Summary: High school AU. Malec. After Alec insists that he and Magnus should stop sneaking around in their relationship, hidden from Alec's parents, Magnus insists he's only going to stay with him for a few more hours then leave- at least until Alec's parents find them in the morning. (Fic collab with faecourts!)


"We've seriously got to stop sneaking around like this-" Alec groaned, looking back to his boyfriend, balancing precautiously on his windowsill.

"What, Alexander? What do you expect your parents to do if you tell them?"

"I don't know, kill me and then degut my pet fish?" He retorted, raising a brow.

"The closest thing you have to a pet is Jace, other than Church, who I'm convinced is not actually a cat-" Magnus pointed out.

Alec sighed. He'd been over this with Magnus many times already, but the boy wouldn't stop bothering him about it.

"You've come out to Izzy, how hard is it to come out to your parents? It's not like you can't ignore them if they hate you for it. Izzy's dating Simon and they pretend he doesn't exist, so can't you ignore them?" Magnus insisted.

"Well I'm not Izzy and you're not Simon, are we?"

Magnus shrugged, and pulled himself all the way through Alec's room, landing on his floor with a thud. "We aren't. Sorry I've been insisting, I just want you to be happy. We won't ever truly be content together if you don't tell someone, will we?"

"What do you mean?" Alec spat as quietly as he could, crossing his arms.

"Everytime we go on a date, you have that look- like you're worried your parents are gonna see us at any moment. Or someone from school. Is it always going to be like that?"

Alec glanced around with paranoia. "Shh," he hissed, "Someone could hear you."

Magnus rolled his eyes, and clambered onto Alec's modest twin bed, sprawled out like a cat.

"Magnus, you have to leave," Alec said sternly. But still he could feel redness glowing on his cheeks watching the other boy wink at him from his bed.

"Alec, can we at least hang out for a little bit? I'll leave before morning." Magnus said, raising a brow lazily. Alec let out a huff. "Move over."

Magnus complied, rolling until his back hit the wall. There was still only a little over a foot of space for Alec. Alec groaned internally, but joined him.

Magnus shuffled over to let the other boy lay down, and Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec.

"What are you doing?" Alec questioned softly.

"Jeez, your parents really never gave you any kind of affection did they? I'm hugging you. Because I love you, Alec."

Alec furiously tried to retain his composure, but it was hard with the other boy's piercing gaze staring into his soul.

Tentatively, he put his arms around Magnus, and Magnus sighed happily.

"Your hair is really soft," Magnus murmured suddenly while dragging a hand through his hair. Alec shifted around, uncomfortably. "Why do you like touching my hair?"

"Sorry," Magnus laughed, pulling away his hand. "If you don't like it I'll stop but you're just so gorgeous."

Alec blushed again, but didn't protest.

"It's just weird. Doing coupley things I guess. In my room in the middle of the night when my parents could walk in at any moment and kick me out of the house." Alec was obviously overthinking and Magnus could feel his body tense.

Magnus patted Alec's hair affectionately. "Couples do coupley things, and we're a couple, aren't we?"

"I, know it's just-" Alec began.

"Why do you think so much? Just live in the moment. You don't know how your parents will react, and you don't know what will happen, or when. Just lay here. With me. I promise I'll leave before morning."

A swarm of butterflies seemed to frantically dart around Alec's insides, and he tried to shove them down. "Ummwhatshouldwetalkaboutthen uh what's the meaning of life?"

Magnus smirked.

"Stop having an existential crisis; just live in the moment, like I said. Relax." Magnus said simply, pressing his lips to Alec's cheek.

Alec's cheeks got warmer, if that was possible.

"I'm sorry I'm so worried, Magnus. I guess that's just the way I am. I have to worry about Izzy, Jace- oh defiantly Jace, and you and my parents, and my job-"

"Sometimes," Magnus cooed, wrapping his body closer to his. "You should just worry about yourself. Everyone else can take care of themselves, you get so stressed out about these things!"

Alec relented, twining his limbs around Magnus's as well, and they lay under the blankets in a pile of tangled heat. It was sweaty and hot, but Alec just sat up and turned up the air conditioning before curling back up with Magnus. It was a good kind of warmth with him, just laying together as the room got cooler.

"What would it be like if one of us was a girl?" Alec wondered offhandedly, gazing out the still-open window.

"You mean, if we weren't in a gay relationship?" Magnus asked. "Well, I mean it would be a lot easier, obviously, but I like you like this Alexander."

Alec softened a bit. "I like you like this too."

"I mean, if there was some magical way to make us into a girl, I still wouldn't do it. We should be able to accept ourselves in society- it's going to be hard with people screaming at us to go to hell, but we can get through it together," Magnus assured him.

Alec smiled faintly and pulled Magnus closer to him. He could smell that unique fragrance on him as always- something old and antique and elegant, but delicious. That, and the excess mascara and glittery eyeshadow that hadn't been washed off.

"You always know the right things to say, wise old man. But then I sometimes doubt that's the same person that obsesses over which shade of glitter to buy."

"What can I say, I like to demolish the thinking that only girls can wear makeup. I love it, so I wear it. Glitter is the advantage that comes with wearing makeup," Magnus said.

"You should be one of those male beauty Youtubers," Alec said suddenly, "they're breaking stereotypes. Plus, all the free stuff."

"What makes you think I haven't made a few makeup tutorials? I mean, I don't think I want companies to send me free stuff, but everyone at school knows that I do makeup. Hell, Izzy asks me how I do my eyeliner."

Alec laughed at Magnus's eccentricity. What was it that drew him to this crazy, sometimes wise, eyeliner-obsessed weirdo? Maybe it was just that different spunk and his admiration to Alec that was so enticing. He was just so pretty, and sly- and sassy. But also so sweet-

Alec mentally stopped himself from running on and fangirling, and just looked back up into Magnus's eyes.

Magnus poked him in the nose with his finger. "I love you."

"I love you too."

A yawn escaped Alec, and Magnus grinned. "Go to bed, sleepy. Goodnight."

Alec had already started dozing off, Magnus's last words ringing in his ears.

"Alexander?" Maryse Lightwood called out, opening the door to Alec's room gently. "You've been sleeping in late too much. Come on, breakfast is ready."

Alec rolled over with a sigh, tracing fingers through his mess of hair.

Suddenly he stiffened. He saw the scene through his mother's eyes, Magnus's shoulder pressed up against his own under the comforter. Magnus was still here.

For a moment all that flew through Alec's mind was anger and fear- how could Magnus do this? Dammit, he was going to be killed! But he eventually softened in realization that it was probably an accident that he fell asleep.

Maryse opened the door a little more and looked at him with wide, confused eyes. "Alexander," she said in a wavering tone. "Is there someone else sleeping with you?"

Alec tried to shove Magnus's confused head under the blankets. "N-no, why would there be? Ha. That's ridiculous."

Alec could now see that Magnus realized he had messed up, Magnus's body tensed and he looked up at Alec through the small hole in his blanket with sorry eyes.

"Alexander, what the hell have you been doing?! Are you turning into your sister?!"

"Nothing, mom," Alec desperately said. Unfortunately, this was the moment Magnus decided to sneeze.

Robert Lightwood had obviously heard all of the commotion and made his way upstairs, pausing next to Maryse. Isabelle was close behind.

"Who is that," Maryse said expressionless. "Turn back the blankets, we aren't stupid."

Reluctantly, Alec peeled back the blankets, sharp pricks of nervousness biting his heart. "Magnus, I want you to meet my family. Mom and dad and Izzy, Magnus."

"I apologize," Magnus said immediately, sitting up. "I merely fell asleep, I did nothing to your son-"

And then Maryse screeched in anger. "What the hell are you doing? You're gay?!"

Izzy just stared at Alec with a wry smile on her face. He would have to confront her about that later, but for now...

"What were you thinking, bringing this strange man into our house in the middle of the night? Do you have no common sense? You could have been murdered or something!"

"He's not strange, were in the same classes!" Alec protested. "And we've-" he sighed. "We've been dating for months in secret."

There was a pause, the room thick with tension.

"You're disgusting," Maryse spat.

That's when Izzy decided to intervene, slipping past her parents and into Alec's room, helping Magnus up from the bed.

"You know what's disgusting?" Izzy said sternly, fire in her eyes. "That you think it's okay to call Alec disgusting. He's gay, okay? I've known for a while. But that's who he is. He can't change that."

Maryse looked shocked, while Robert looked gravely ahead. "Maryse, maybe this isn't such a bad thing. Our world is changing. It's not the same as it was when we were kids. I would know that."

"Exactly," Izzy snorted. "And I suppose now is this time I tell you I like chicks too- along with guys. Guys are hot," she smirked. "But girls are hot too."

Maryse looked like she was about to faint. Jace suddenly appeared.

"What's next, Jace? You're not going to tell me you've married a freewheeling prostitute or something, are you? I wouldn't be surprised, so now's your chance to do it." Maryse said with horror.

"I'm straight," Jace shrugged. "I'm dating a tiny red head who says "Fight me," but can't actually fight anyone. Still a virgin, and I'm not planning on getting married anytime soon."

"Well," Alec said with nervous laughter. "I'm glad we all figured this out."

Maryse just looked completely done by then, and walked away to her room. Alec heard the door slam and then sobbing.

Izzy came over and wrapped Alec in her arms. "It's okay. If you love Magnus, keep him. Don't worry about mom, she will come around eventually."

"Thanks," Alec mumbled.

Magnus nodded in agreement, replacing Izzy's arms around him with his own, kissing Alec. Robert still stood at the doorway, slightly alarmed, but he just gave a nod and then walked away.

It was just Izzy and Jace left with Magnus and Alec in the small room, and they glanced awkwardly at the pair. "We'll just leave you to yourselves," Izzy finally said, and grabbing Jace by the shoulders, steered him out the room as well.

Magnus looked over to Alec. "I'm sorry about that. Do you want to take a walk or something? Relax a bit? You are really tense."

Alec nodded, blowing a tuft of black hair out of his eyes. "That would be great."

After pulling on a jacket and stepping outside with Magnus, they began walking down towards Magnus's house in the cool fall air.

"What a morning, huh?" Magnus stated, "at least we won't have to sneak around now."

Alec said nothing, just wrapped his jacket tighter. His face was an unreadable stone mask.

"Your parents will come around. I love the you Alec, and nothing will change that. It was a little awkward, but just focus on more important things."

Eventually they had reached Magnus's house, and they stopped, lacing hands with Alec looking down.

"Oh, and thank your sister"

With that, Magnus pulled himself closer to Alec, wrapping his arms around him and kissing him.

"It really will be all right, you know. Things have a way of working themselves out. Besides, there are children starving right now! Be glad this is your biggest problem."

"You sound like a wise 300-year-old man," Alec chuckled, but he was smiling now.

Magnus just winked and prodded him in the nose with a cheeky smile, kissing his neck, causing Alec to shiver in the sudden gesture.

"Let's meet up next weekend, again? Wanna come over to my place?" Magnus asked.

"Sure," is all that Alec mumbled, blushing. Magnus disappeared inside and Alec walked away, filled with a bit of anxiety for his parents reaction, but maybe it was a little adrenaline that make him smile endlessly in the rebellion.


End file.
